The 25-year-old forward scored 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) in 43 games with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League this season. He scored 137 points (62 goals, 75 assists) in 262 KHL games during seven seasons and helped SKA St. Petersburg win the Gagarin Cup as KHL champions in 2015 and 2017.
The contract is for the 2020-21 NHL season.
"We're really excited to add another player to the fold here who we think has got great experience and great skill set," Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. "Very high character as well. Checks a lot of the boxes that we were looking forward to adding … a player who you fully expect to step in and be an important part of your team.
"We're excited to have him. Of course, we're still in the mode of the 2019-20 season here … but going forward beyond that he's going to be an important part of the puzzle for us."
Barabanov scored two points (one goal, one assist) in six games to help the Olympic Athletes from Russia win the gold medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.
"He's a winger, he's strong, he's not tall (5-foot-10, 192 pounds) but a very strong player," Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas said March 31. "[He has] great playmaking ability [and is] very good in tight.
"One of the other things we like about him is his ability to make plays under pressure. His ability to win pucks, protect pucks when people come after him and use his strength to be able to do that. A playmaking winger who can also produce at the net."
